best phd psychology programs in california

Best Psychology Programs in California

Jordan Stewart-Rozema

Contributing Writer

Learn about our editorial process .

Updated August 15, 2024

Joey Morris

Reviewed by

Megan Pietrucha

Contributing Reviewer

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Are you ready to discover your college program?

With over 500 colleges and universities in California, it can be daunting to try to narrow down your options. If you're looking for the best colleges for psychology in California, check out our list of the best psychology programs in the Golden State. You can also find tips on what to consider when choosing a school to ensure you make the right decision for you.

Popular Online Psychology Master's Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

We use trusted sources like Peterson's Data and the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the data for these schools. Psychology.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. from our partners appear among these rankings and are indicated as such.

#1 Best Psychology Programs in California

University of California-Berkeley

• Berkeley, CA
• Online + Campus

UC Berkeley's graduate school in psychology offers specializations in behavioral and systems neuroscience, clinical science, cognition, cognitive neuroscience, developmental, and social-personality. 

The program comprises three components — seminars, teaching assistantships, and research — and culminates with a dissertation. Seminars include professional socialization, statistics, teaching, and topics within specialization areas.

Competitive candidates for the research-focused Ph.D. programs have a bachelor's degree in psychology or a closely related field from an accredited four-year university. The department advises applicants with a bachelor's in fields other than psychology to obtain a post-baccalaureate in psychology. Admission requires laboratory or field research experience. Admitted students receive five years of guaranteed funding.

#2 Best Psychology Programs in California

University of California-Los Angeles

• Los Angeles, CA

Graduate psychology at UCLA offers Ph.D. training in eight emphasis areas:

• Behavioral neuroscience 
• Developmental
• Health psychology
• Learning and behavior
• Quantitative
• Social psychology

UCLA encourages psychology students to explore other departmental research opportunities, including the Brain Research Institute, the Neuropsychiatric Institute, and the Fernald Child Study Center. Learners also train at local hospitals, including the Veterans Administration.

Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, an interview, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. GRE score submission is voluntary. The psychology department may offer to fund five years of the enrollee's program upon approval.

#3 Best Psychology Programs in California

Stanford University

• Stanford, CA

Stanford's Ph.D. program in psychology focuses on developing research competence and productivity. Courses and seminars emphasize computational and empirical theoretical methods and information. 

Practical experience with the methods of psychological investigation and study comprises half of students' time in one or more research areas: affective, cognitive, developmental, neuroscience, or social psychology. All students complete five teaching assistantships.

Applicants need a bachelor's degree, transcripts, and up to six recommendation letters. The department prefers those with independent research experience as an undergraduate or master's student. 

Funding sources for tuition, living stipends, and health insurance support students through their fifth year.

#4 Best Psychology Programs in California

University of Southern California

Students can earn a master's in applied psychology at USC as residential or online students. The residential track is a one-year, on-campus intensive. Distance learners take entirely online classes part time and can graduate in 16 months.

The curriculum focuses on theory, research, and practice in business settings. Coursework includes consumer psychology, cross-cultural psychology in applied settings, organizational psychology, and user experience. Learners complete applied internships and original research projects. Team-based projects offer opportunities to help companies solve problems. Students can opt for summer internships in Dublin or spring break trips to Dubai.

Graduates pursue careers in consumer insights, learning and development, and organizational consulting. 

#5 Best Psychology Programs in California

University of California-San Diego

• La Jolla, CA

The Ph.D. in psychology program at UCSD offers full funding packages for five years, with teaching assistant duties. The department trains researchers in core subfields of experimental psychology and offers emphasis areas in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and social psychology. 

First-year courses include human rationality, probabilistic models of cognition, quantitative methods, and substance abuse. Learners can also take seminars in other concentration areas. Psychology students can interact with researchers in other departments at weekly Brown Bag meetings. A qualifying paper or exam during the second year measures readiness to begin thesis research. 

Admission looks primarily at applicants' undergraduate research experience and interests. 

#6 Best Psychology Programs in California

University of California-Davis

UC Davis psychology Ph.D. students take minimal coursework and begin working closely with one or two faculty members to develop research during year one. The program offers concentrations in biological, developmental, quantitative, and social personality psychology, along with perception, cognition, and cognitive neuroscience. An annual departmental conference allows students to present their research.

First-year students take a course that introduces them to faculty research interests before they select their advising committee. Those who attend a class on teaching introductory psychology and pass an oral qualifying exam may have the opportunity to teach courses. Funding sources, including teaching and research assistantships, are guaranteed for five years.

#7 Best Psychology Programs in California

San Diego State University

• San Diego, CA

San Diego State's master's in psychology degrees can put students on the path to becoming competitive Ph.D. program applicants or entering the job market. 

The master of arts (M.A.) program offers concentration areas in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, physical and/or mental health, and social psychology. Graduation requires the completion of a thesis. 

The master of science (M.S.) in applied psychology includes tracks in industrial organizational psychology and quantitative methods and includes a research thesis and 300 internship hours. 

Most admitted students hold a bachelor's degree in psychology, a 3.6 GPA, and research experience. The M.A. program does not require GRE scores for admission, but the M.S. does. 

#8 Best Psychology Programs in California

University of California-Riverside

• Riverside, CA

UC Riverside's Ph.D. in psychology students can specialize in behavioral neuroscience, cognition and cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, or social/personality psychology. Subfields span diversity and inclusion psychology, health and well-being psychology, and quantitative psychology.

The first two years of the five-year program develop statistical and research methods skills and concentration-area expertise. Learners complete most of their coursework in the first two years. Years 3-5 include a qualifying exam, dissertation proposal preparation, and dissertation writing and research.

Students work as teaching assistants and typically receive five years of funding. Admission evaluates applicants' undergraduate grades, work and research experience, recommendations, and faculty willingness to serve as their mentors. 

#9 Best Psychology Programs in California

California State University-Long Beach

• Long Beach, CA

One of the best colleges for psychology in California, Cal State Long Beach offers three psychology master's programs . The master of arts (M.A.) in psychological research prepares graduates for master's-level employment or doctoral study. 

The master of science (M.S.) in human factors trains students to improve worker's comfort, performance, and safety using research-informed job design, information systems, and equipment. The M.S. in industrial organizational psychology prepares students to enhance organizations and the well-being of professional staff.

M.A. enrollees complete a capstone thesis, and M.S. students can choose between a thesis and applied research or portfolios.

#10 Best Psychology Programs in California

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

• San Luis Obispo, CA

Located in San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly offers a master's in psychology that prepares clinicians to counsel couples, families, individuals, and groups. The program meets the requirements for California marriage and family therapist licensure. The curriculum also readies graduates to enter doctoral programs.

Students experience small classes held during the day and evening and individual attention at practicum training clinics and community internship sites. Program completion typically takes around two years.

Applicants must hold bachelor's degrees from regionally accredited schools and 3.0 GPAs. Bachelor's degrees can be in any field, but program prerequisites include abnormal psychology, lifespan development, personality theory, research methods, and statistics. 

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Psychology.org reserves the right to exclude any schools that lack significant data from the rankings to ensure accurate calculations. For more about how Psychology.org evaluates and ranks education programs, read more about our full ranking methodology.

What to Look for in a California College for Psychology

There are many factors to consider when choosing a college for psychology in California, including:

• Program Format: Do you want to attend your program online or on campus? Are you only able to take classes in the evenings or on weekends? Are you interested in earning your degree at an accelerated pace? Does the program schedule fit your needs?
• Concentration Availability: Do you want to specialize in a specific area in psychology? Does the school offer courses tailored to your interests?
• Accreditation: Make sure your psychology school or program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or another official accreditation agency. California has 34 APA-accredited Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs.
• Cost: What is the overall cost of earning your degree? Does the school offer financial aid options?

Salary and Career Outlook for Psychology Graduates in California

Like much of the country, California is currently experiencing a shortage of mental health care professionals , with only 24% of the state's mental health needs met. Given this shortage and the positive employment growth projections for psychologists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as shown below, it may be a good time to become a psychologist in California.

Psychologists earn a lucrative salary, often in the six-figure range. However, many psychologists in California need a doctoral degree and a state license, which requires many hours of supervised clinical experience and multiple exams.

Licensing Requirements in California

Clinical psychologists, counseling psychologists, and school psychologists all need to earn licensure in California before they can practice.

To earn licensure in California , psychologists must earn a doctoral degree and complete specific coursework that meets state requirements. They also need 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience, with 1,500 of those hours occurring after they complete their doctorate.

Aspiring psychologists in California must then pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE). Finally, they must apply for licensure and pass a background check.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Colleges for Psychology in California

• Collapse All

Does California have good psychology programs?

Yes, California has good psychology programs. California is home to many nationally and internationally recognized schools, such as Stanford, the California Institute of Technology, and schools in the University of California system.

Are psychology careers in demand in California?

Yes, psychology careers are in demand in California, as the state is experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals. Jobs for clinical psychologists, counseling psychologists, and school psychologists are projected to grow almost 9% between 2020 and 2030. And jobs for substance use, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in California are projected to increase by roughly 17% in that same timeframe.

How many years does it take to become a psychologist in California?

Depending on your previous experience and education choices, it can take around 12 years to become a psychologist in California. Earning an undergraduate degree typically takes four years, and graduate school takes another 6-8 years. Aspiring psychologists will typically also need to complete a year or two of supervised clinical experience and pass the EPPP exam.

What is the pass rate for the EPPP Exam in California?

According to the California Licensing Board , the overall pass rate for the EPPP exam in California is about 39%. The pass rate for first-time test-takers is almost 60%.

Can I earn a psychology degree online in California?

Yes, you can earn a psychology degree online in California. Many schools in California offer online psychology programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Learners should note that the APA does not currently accredit doctoral programs offered entirely online.

Page last reviewed on May 22, 2024

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Psychology Graduate Programs in California

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Stanford University Department of Humanities and Sciences

• Stanford, CA ·
• Stanford University ·
• Graduate School

Stanford University, Graduate School, STANFORD, CA.

Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

• Los Angeles, CA ·
• University of Southern California ·

University of Southern California, Graduate School, LOS ANGELES, CA.

UCLA College of Letters and Science

• University of California - Los Angeles ·
• · Rating 3 out of 5   1 review

University of California - Los Angeles, Graduate School, LOS ANGELES, CA. 1 Niche users give it an average review of 3 stars. Read 1 reviews.

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

• Graduate School ·
• SAN MARCOS, CA
• · Rating 4.51 out of 5   144

Illinois Institute of Technology

• CHICAGO, IL
• · Rating 4.39 out of 5   41

College of Liberal and Creative Arts - San Francisco State University

• San Francisco State University ·
• SAN FRANCISCO, CA

UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science

• Berkeley, CA ·
• University of California - Berkeley ·

Blue checkmark. University of California - Berkeley, Graduate School, BERKELEY, CA.

College of Letters and Science - UC Santa Barbara

• Santa Barbara, CA ·
• University of California - Santa Barbara ·

University of California - Santa Barbara, Graduate School, SANTA BARBARA, CA.

Gevirtz Graduate School of Education

• Isla Vista, CA ·

University of California - Santa Barbara, Graduate School, ISLA VISTA, CA.

• Find college scholarships

School of Social Ecology - University of California - Irvine

• Irvine, CA ·
• University of California - Irvine ·
• · Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

University of California - Irvine, Graduate School, IRVINE, CA. 3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says enrolled as a student within the MAS Criminology program online. It was over all a great experience and as a full time employee, the program fit well with work schedules. I eventually got married and... Read 3 reviews.

UC Davis College of Letters and Science

• Davis, CA ·
• University of California - Davis ·
• · Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

University of California - Davis, Graduate School, DAVIS, CA. 2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says Very informative and hard-working staff, graduate students and faculty. Anthropology department is robust, first-rate and diverse. Faculty are continuously researching and dedicating time to... Read 2 reviews.

UC San Diego Division of Social Sciences

• La Jolla, CA ·
• University of California - San Diego ·

University of California - San Diego, Graduate School, LA JOLLA, CA.

Graduate School of Education and Psychology - Pepperdine University

• Pepperdine University ·
• · Rating 4.71 out of 5   126 reviews

Blue checkmark. Pepperdine University, Graduate School, LOS ANGELES, CA. 126 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says Pepperdine University’s Psychology and Education Department is well-regarded for its emphasis on practical experience and academic rigor. The programs blend theoretical knowledge with hands-on... Read 126 reviews.

College of Liberal Arts - Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo

• San Luis Obispo, CA ·
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ·

Blue checkmark. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Graduate School, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA.

School of Leadership and Education Sciences - University of San Diego

• San Diego, CA ·
• University of San Diego ·
• · Rating 4.17 out of 5   6 reviews

University of San Diego, Graduate School, SAN DIEGO, CA. 6 Niche users give it an average review of 4.2 stars. Featured Review: Alum says The MALS and other Leadership Graduate programs provided by USD prepares academics and professionals alike to generate the best possible organizational outcomes across industries. Balancing theory,... Read 6 reviews.

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University of San Francisco School of Education

• San Francisco, CA ·
• University of San Francisco ·
• · Rating 4.5 out of 5   8 reviews

Blue checkmark. University of San Francisco, Graduate School, SAN FRANCISCO, CA. 8 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says I feel that this program is heavily committed to social justice which is something that is extremely important to me. Going into the mental health field, it is important to be attuned to what is... Read 8 reviews.

University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions

• · Rating 4.13 out of 5   8 reviews

University of San Francisco, Graduate School, SAN FRANCISCO, CA. 8 Niche users give it an average review of 4.1 stars. Featured Review: Alum says The program is rigorous and well defined. Expectations are clearly communicated. Advisors and staff go above and beyond to help students succeed. Read 8 reviews.

College of Liberal Arts - California State University - Long Beach

• Long Beach, CA ·
• California State University - Long Beach ·

California State University - Long Beach, Graduate School, LONG BEACH, CA.

College of Sciences - San Diego State University

• San Diego State University ·

San Diego State University, Graduate School, SAN DIEGO, CA.

Division of Social Sciences - UC Santa Cruz

• Santa Cruz, CA ·
• University of California - Santa Cruz ·

University of California - Santa Cruz, Graduate School, SANTA CRUZ, CA.

University of the Pacific College of the Pacific

• Stockton, CA ·
• University of the Pacific ·

Blue checkmark. University of the Pacific, Graduate School, STOCKTON, CA.

College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

• Riverside, CA ·
• University of California - Riverside ·
• · Rating 4.25 out of 5   4 reviews

Blue checkmark. University of California - Riverside, Graduate School, RIVERSIDE, CA. 4 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says I hope to learn a lot from the Teacher Education Program at UCR! I love the opportunities that are offered to me and my peers. Read 4 reviews.

School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences - Azusa Pacific University

• Azusa, CA ·
• Azusa Pacific University ·

Azusa Pacific University, Graduate School, AZUSA, CA. 2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says My Master of Social Work program is well designed. Classes are designed to help professionals to practice in the field. In addition, the internship is designed to help students practice social work... Read 2 reviews.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - Azusa Pacific University

Azusa Pacific University, Graduate School, AZUSA, CA.

College of Humanities and Social Sciences - California State University - Fullerton

• Fullerton, CA ·
• California State University - Fullerton ·
• · Rating 3.5 out of 5   2 reviews

California State University - Fullerton, Graduate School, FULLERTON, CA. 2 Niche users give it an average review of 3.5 stars. Featured Review: Alum says The ENST (Environmental Studies Masters Program) at CSUF is great for the flexibility of having mostly evening classes and the ability to chose a project, thesis, or a test-out option. A student can... Read 2 reviews.

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences - California State University - Chico

• Chico, CA ·
• California State University - Chico ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   2 reviews

California State University - Chico, Graduate School, CHICO, CA. 2 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says It had been great so far! Due to covid, I have not experienced the in person experience of the school but the online course have been great. Read 2 reviews.

Saint Mary's College of California

• Moraga, CA ·
• · Rating 4.29 out of 5   35 reviews

Blue checkmark. Graduate School, MORAGA, CA. 35 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars. Featured Review: Master's Student says I really enjoyed getting to know people from all around the country in the field of dance. Some of the classes were a little disorganized, but overall I have really enjoyed my experience so far. Read 35 reviews.

College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences - California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

• Pomona, CA ·
• California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ·

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona, Graduate School, POMONA, CA.

College of Human Sciences and Humanities - University of Houston - Clear Lake

• University of Houston - Clear Lake ·
• HOUSTON, TX
• · Rating 1 out of 5   1

College of Ethnic Studies - San Francisco State University

Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences

• University of Pittsburgh ·
• PITTSBURGH, PA

Showing results 1 through 25 of 61

• Psychology Programs

Accredited Psychology Graduate Programs and Schools in California [2024 Updated]

Graduate studies in psychology require a lot of hard work and effort on your part. Many programs take at least two years to complete, and if you pursue a doctorate, the timeline is often about five years.

So why not study in a state with some of the most epic landscapes and recreational opportunities in the nation? You can study hard and get some well-deserved time off while exploring all the Golden State has to offer.

First things first, though – where should you go to school?

California has an expansive higher education system with schools large and small. To help you explore the best options, we have compiled this list of California’s best graduate psychology programs.

Best Psychology Graduate Programs in California

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering psychology graduate programs in California:

California State University Los Angeles

• Grand Canyon University

The University of California at Berkeley

• University of Southern California
• The University of California at Los Angeles
• San Diego State University
• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
• Pepperdine University

To find out how we select colleges and universities, please click here .

School Information

California State University Los Angeles is a large public doctoral-degree-granting institution with nearly 25,000 undergraduate students . The school is part of the California State University system, which has 23 campuses across the state.

According to US News and World Report , Cal State LA ranks highly for its academic offerings, including a number 24 ranking among regional universities in the west. The school also ranks in the top ten for innovation, social mobility, and top public schools.

While most students at Cal State LA are undergraduates, there are nearly 4,000 graduate students on campus as well. This includes students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs.

Psychology Graduate Program Information

Cal State LA’s master of arts in psychology degree is a 31-32 unit degree that focuses on the development of conceptual psychology skills and research abilities. This includes advanced coursework in psychological statistics and multivariate analysis.

Additionally, this is a thesis program. You will select a thesis topic, conduct thorough research, and defend your thesis to a committee before graduation.

You will benefit throughout your studies from a mentor relationship with a member of the psychology faculty. This mentor will advise you regarding your studies, program planning, thesis development, and so forth.

From its beginnings in 1868, the University of California at Berkeley has been revered as one of the top academic institutions in the nation. The school ranks first (tie) among public schools , according to US News and World Report . Additionally, the school ranks 20th (tie) among national universities.

Today, Berkeley offers more than 350 degrees in more than 180 academic departments and programs. The small class sizes (17.8 students per professor) combined with a long track record of academic excellence, make Berkely a fine choice for your graduate studies in psychology.

Berkeley isn’t just about student achievement, though. The school has nine Nobel Prize winners and four Pulitzer Prize winners among its faculty.

UC Berkeley offers multiple concentration areas for graduate psychology students. For example, you can specialize in clinical science, cognition, or developmental psychology. Likewise, you can concentrate in social-personality psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or behavioral and systems neuroscience.

Regardless of the psychology specialization you choose, your coursework and research opportunities prepare you for advanced research in this field. Most specializations are non-clinical in nature, meaning, your experiences will not lead to licensure in clinical or counseling psychology.

Pursuing a Ph.D. at Berkeley opens many doors for highly focused research. Your research is supervised by the faculty, who help guide and direct your investigations into human behavior.

The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)

The University of California at Los Angeles is nestled on a 419-acre campus in the Westwood neighborhood, with easy access to downtown LA, beaches at Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades, and hiking and biking trails in Topanga State Park.

The school has an enrollment of almost 50,000 students, and consistently ranks among the best public schools in the nation . In fact, US News and World Report , lists UCLA first among top public schools (tie) and 20th among national universities (tie). Furthermore, UCLA is in the top ten for best schools for veterans and in the top 50 for innovation.

Programs at UCLA are divided among 12 professional schools . All told, you can take 5,000 different courses as a student at UCLA.

Graduate studies in psychology at UCLA can take you in various directions. For example, the clinical psychology track focuses on developing a holistic set of practitioner skills that enables you to work effectively with clients to address their mental health needs.

Conversely, if you prefer to focus on psychological research as opposed to clinical work, the quantitative psychology track might be for you. Numerous other specialties are available, including, but not limited to:

• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Computational Cognition
• Developmental Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Social and Affective Neuroscience

One of the best benefits of studying psychology at UCLA is the access you have for conducting research. The psychology department partners with the Brain Research Institute, the Institute for Social Science Research, and the Fernald Child Study Center, among others, to give graduate students like you world-class research opportunities to expand your education.

San Diego State University (SDSU)

Not only is San Diego State University in one of the most beautiful cities in the state, but it’s also a highly-regarded university with many accolades . For example, SDSU is in the top 30 on Forbes’ list of America’s best value colleges. Additionally, the University is in the top 60 for diversity on campus and in the top three in the nation for its study abroad program.

While you are on campus, you can enjoy a vibrant environment with more than 300 student organizations, including nearly 50 fraternities and sororities and student programs for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

When yo are not in class, you can easily get to San Diego’s hot spots using the San Diego Trolley. Head to the beach, take in a Padres game, or explore Old Town San Diego under the Southern California sun.

San Diego State University’s graduate psychology department offers two tracks: a Master of Arts or a Master of Science. Both tracks heavily focus on conducting psychological research.

If you plan to continue your studies in a Ph.D. program , the MA track is perhaps the better choice. You will gain valuable research experience while specializing your studies in one of the following areas:

• Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Physical and/or Mental Health
• Social Psychology

The MS track is a terminal degree program for students whose jobs depend on applying psychological concepts in the workplace. As such, you can choose to specialize in an Industrial and Organizational track or a Quantitative Methods track. In either case, the skills you acquire enable you to work in research labs, for businesses, or as a psychology consultant.

Requirements to Become a Psychologist in California

Getting a graduate degree from a psychology program is just the first step in becoming a licensed psychologist in the California .

According to the California Board of Psychology , requirements to become a licensed psychologist in California are:

• Hold a qualifying doctoral degree from a regionally-accredited school ( other conditions apply if your degree is from an out-of-state or international institution)
• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience, half of which must come after the completion of a doctoral program
• Take six types of pre-licensure courses (topics covering: human sexuality, child abuse assessment, chemical dependency detection and treatment, suicide risk assessment and intervention, spousal or partner abuse assessment and aging and long-term care training)
• Pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)
• Pass the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE)
• Supply fingerprints and pass a criminal background check

Once these tasks are complete, you can apply for an initial California license.

To maintain licensure, you must take part in continuing education, numbering at least 36 credits of coursework within a two-year period prior to the licensure expiration date.

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Psychology PhD

Psychology as a scientific discipline aims to describe, understand, and predict the behavior of living organisms. In doing so, psychology embraces the many factors that influence behavior-from sensory experience to complex cognition, from the role of genetics to that of social and cultural environments, from the processes that explain behavior in early childhood to those that operate in older ages, and from typical development to pathological conditions. The Department of Psychology at Berkeley reflects the diversity of our discipline's mission covering six key areas of research: Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience; Clinical Science; Cognition; Cognitive Neuroscience; Developmental, and Social-Personality Psychology. Our program learning goals focus on honing methodological, statistical and critical thinking skills relevant to all areas of Psychology research, enabling students with sufficient breadth to retain perspective in the field of psychology and sufficient depth to permit successful independent and significant research.

• The major academic objectives of the PhD program are for students to:
• Develop an understanding of the different theoretical and empirical frameworks that have defined and shaped the field
• Develop an understanding of the central questions and issues in contemporary psychology
• Develop expertise in one or more relevant research methodologies
• Build expertise in formulating testable hypotheses and designing appropriate studies
• Hone ability to critically evaluate scientific research
• Develop expertise in statistics and advanced data analytic approaches
• Develop an awareness of the importance of science to humanity while recognizing its limits (i.e., some scientific knowledge is culture-specific and may not be applicable to the human condition universally)
• Develop competence as a teacher of undergraduates and mentor to graduate students

Students select one of the following concentrations:

Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience: The Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience area encompasses faculty and students united by a common interest in the neurobiological/physiological bases of behavior, including but not limited to circadian and seasonal rhythms, decision-making, sex differentiation and behavior, energy balance, birdsong and animal communication, animal spatial orientation and navigation, gene-environment interactions, selective attention and visual perception, social behavior, attachment, developmental processes, physiological substrates of emotion and stress, and motivation. The methodologies currently employed by faculty and students cover the entire spectrum from the behavioral study of animals and humans to computational, cellular, molecular and neuroimaging analyses.

Clinical Science: Graduate students in Clinical Science combine rigorous research with hands-on clinical experience. In addition, students take courses that cover general areas of psychological science as well as more specialized areas based on a students interests. Most students will spend four to six years in residence at Berkeley plus one year at a Clinical Internship site, at or near the completion of the dissertation. Degrees are awarded after completion of the internship, even if the dissertation is completed earlier. The faculty advisor/mentor plays an important role in a students training. At the beginning of Year 1, each student is matched with a faculty advisor, usually one of the core Clinical Science Program Faculty, who supervises the student's research. In subsequent years, the student is free to continue working with that person or to seek a new research advisor. In addition to research supervision, the advisor works with the student in planning a program that fits that student's interests, while at the same time meeting program requirements. If a student is conducting research under the supervision of someone other than a core Clinical Science Program Faculty member (e.g., a faculty member in another area of the Psychology Department), then a core Clinical Science Program Faculty member is assigned to advise that student in matters related program requirements.

Cognition: The Cognition Program brings together faculty and students engaged in behavioral and computational investigations of fundamental cognitive processes, including learning, memory, categorization, reasoning, language, and perception. Our interdisciplinary approach borrows methods and insights from the cognitive sciences and other areas within the department.

Cognitive Neuroscience: Programs in Cognitive Neuroscience focus on neuroimaging and neuropsychological approaches to human behavior. Functional neuroimaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and intracranial EEG (iEEG) are used to study the neural bases of human behavior. Neuropsychological methods assess varieties of psychological dysfunction associated with brain damage or disease. Areas of specialty within this track include Sensory and Perceptual Processes, Attention and Working Memory, Learning and Memory, Emotion, and Motor Control.

Developmental: Our research goal is to understand how the organism and its capabilities develop throughout the lifespan. Our interdisciplinary approach is multi-species, multi-system, and multidisciplinary in nature. We study change over time in cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and neural processes. Our explanations include both neural accounts of the plasticity that is observed in the developing brain and other systems, and computational and psychological accounts of development. The bi-directionality of these processes is emphasized, with the organism's genetically program development being influenced by its physical and social environments and in turn influencing those environments. Thus, our research is situated at the interface between the fields of developmental psychology, computational modeling, psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, social psychology, cultural psychology, and clinical psychology. Our research examines numerous areas of development, plasticity, and change including sensory processes, cognitive capacities, language, reasoning, everyday knowledge of the world, emotions, and social relationships. We examine both typical and atypical development, each providing rich insights for better understanding the other and suggesting new approaches for effective treatments and preventive interventions.

Social-Personality Psychology: The social-personality program is devoted to training graduate students for careers in research and teaching. The program faculty and several affiliates conduct research and provide intensive training in six core areas of the field: (1) Self and identity; (2) Social cognition; (3) Emotion, emotion regulation, and affective neuroscience; (4) Personality processes and adult development; (5) Interpersonal, intergroup, and intercultural processes; and (6) Power, hierarchy, and social class. In addition to training in these core areas, the program encourages graduate students to develop their own research interests and build an independent research program. The program is characterized by considerable breadth and diversity. It provides students with special research opportunities, such as access to unique longitudinal databases, multi-method approaches (self-report, observational, archival, life-data, physiological), and biological perspectives on social behavior (e.g., evolutionary, neuroimaging).

Contact Info

[email protected]

2121 Berkeley Way 3rd Floor

Berkeley, CA 94720-1650

At a Glance

Department(s)

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

November 15, 2024

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

Students sit around a table and discuss with a professor nearby. Photo source: Sallie

PhD Admissions

The PhD program in Psychology trains students for careers in research and teaching. In addition to a wide range of courses, the PhD program is characterized by close collaboration between students and their faculty advisors. 

General Information

The Department of Psychology holistically reviews each candidate's complete application to assess the promise of a career in teaching and research. Consideration is based on various factors, including courses taken, grade point average, letters of recommendation, and the statement of purpose. Additionally, the Department of Psychology places considerable emphasis on research training, and admitted students have often been involved in independent research as undergraduate students or post-baccalaureate settings. Although there are no course requirements for admission, all applicants should have sufficient foundational knowledge and research experience to engage in graduate-level coursework and research.

We accept students with undergraduate degrees and those with both undergraduate and master's degrees. An undergraduate psychology major is not required; the Department welcomes applicants from other academic backgrounds.

Our application portal is now OPEN for the AY25-26 admissions cycle.

How to Apply

Application and deadline.

Our 2025-26 Admissions application will open on September 15, 2024.

Applications will be due on November 22, 2024

The deadline for letters of recommendation will be  November 22, 2024 . 

Once an applicant submits the recommenders' information, the recommenders will receive an automated email with instructions for submitting the letter. Late letters should be sent directly to psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (psych-admissions[at]stanford[dot]edu) . Staff will add them to the application file if the review process is still underway. Still, the faculty reviewers are not obligated to re-review files for materials submitted after the deadline.

Generally, students will hear from us by the end of January. 

The status of submitted applications can be viewed anytime by logging in to the   application portal . 

The deadline to apply for the '25-26 PhD cohort this year is  November 22, 2024 . Applicants who are admitted to the program will matriculate in Autumn 2025. 

Our next admissions cycle will open in September 2025 and have a November 2025 deadline.

In addition to the information below, please review the  Graduate Admissions  website prior to starting your application. The Department of Psychology does not have rolling admissions. We admit for the Autumn term only.

Requirements

• U.S. Bachelor's degree or its  foreign equivalent
• Statement of Purpose (submitted electronically as part of the graduate application). You will be able to specify three  Psychology Department faculty members , in order of preference, with whom you would like to work. 
• Three  Letters of Recommendation  (submitted electronically). A maximum of six letters will be accepted.
• Unofficial transcripts from all universities and colleges you have attended for at least one year must be uploaded to the graduate application. Applicants who reach the interview stage will be asked to provide official transcripts as well; Department staff will reach out to these applicants with instructions for submitting official transcripts. Please do  not  submit official transcripts with your initial application.
• Required for non-native English speakers: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores, submitted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) electronically to Stanford. 

Application Fee

The fee to apply for graduate study at Stanford is $125. Fee waivers are available for some applicants. Please visit Graduate Admissions for information on applying for an  Application Fee Waiver .

Application Review & Status Check

The Department of Psychology welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. The review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

To check the status or activity of your application, please log into your  application account . You can also send reminders to recommenders who have not yet submitted their letter of recommendation.

Due to limited bandwidth, the Department of Psychology staff will not answer any phone or email queries about application status, including requests to confirm the receipt of official transcripts.

Our faculty will interview prospective students before making final admission decisions. Candidates who progress to the interview round will be informed in January. Interviews are generally conducted in February.

The Department of Psychology recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

• Diversity and Engagement in Psychology PhD Programs 
• Vice Provost for Graduate Education
• Stanford IDEAL
• Graduate Application Fee Waiver Information

For More Information

Please see our  list of Frequently Asked Questions  and  psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (contact us)  should you have additional questions.

Graduate Students

The Psychology Department at the University of California, Davis has a top-ranked Ph.D. program oriented toward training qualified students to pursue careers in the areas of research and teaching. Students work closely with one or two faculty members to develop research programs that result in published work in the top journals. The program requirements include minimal coursework, and emphasize engagement in research from the start of the program.  

Did you know? The UC Davis Psychology Graduate Program is ranked #1 in the University of California System and #12 overall? Read More

Program Structure

We do not offer training in the areas of clinical or counseling psychology, and students are only admitted to the Ph.D. program, although students in the program have the option of obtaining an M.A. degree enroute to the Ph.D. Resources and faculty personnel are concentrated in five areas: developmental; perception, cognition, and cognitive neuroscience; biological psychology (comparative and physiological psychology), social-personality, and quantitative.

Highly Qualified Students

UC Davis faculty and graduate programs attract highly qualified students from diverse educational, social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It is the mix of backgrounds, ideas and experience of faculty and students that contributes to the richness of both the campus and the city of Davis. The Psychology Department takes pride in the tradition of informality and supportiveness in student-faculty associations.

For questions about the psychology graduate program, contact Angela Scully, our graduate program coordinator, at (530) 752.9362 or by email at  [email protected]

Psychology Doctoral Programs in California - PhD

PhD Programs in Psychology

Alliant international university – fresno, california school of professional psychology.

Alliant International University is a private, non-profit university that is strongly committed to preparing students for professional careers where they can make positive contributions to their community. Alliant has been named the Top Producer of Graduate Degrees for Minorities by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. The Alliant California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) has also been recognized as awarding the most doctoral degrees in psychology to Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. In fact, the school has trained almost half of all the practicing psychologists in the state.

PhD in Clinical Psychology

At the Fresno campus, the Clinical Psychology PhD program focuses on clinical training and research with a strong emphasis on preparing students to teach psychology in academia. In the third year of training, students are required to complete a minimum of 1,600 hours at the on-campus Psychological Services Center, which provides numerous diagnostic and therapeutic training opportunities. Students in the program have the option to choose an emphasis area of Clinical Forensic Psychology, Ecosystemic Child Psychology, and Health Psychology to develop a focused subject of expertise.

Accreditations

• American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Contact Information

5130 East Clinton Way Fresno, CA 93727 559-252-2200 [email protected] https://www.alliant.edu/psychology/clinical-psychology/phd

Alliant International University – Los Angeles

Selected as the “Best for Vets” college in the nation for the third consecutive year by Military Times Edge magazine, Alliant International University is well-known for offering students high-quality financial assistance, academic flexibility, and support services to help all succeed. The California School of Professional Psychology on the Los Angeles campus is highly regarded in the profession and attracts some of the leading field experts to the faculty. With a small student-teacher ratio, graduate students in the programs are able to thrive with hands-on training, academic mentoring, and innovative curriculum based on multiculturalism.

Situated in the unique global hub of Los Angeles, the PhD in Clinical Psychology program offers plentiful opportunities for research, practice, and community service learning outside the classroom. Students in the program are required to select one of the four available emphasis areas to focus their studies on, including Clinical Health Psychology, Family and Couple Therapy, Multicultural-Community Psychology, and Multi-Interest Option. Although it is not required, the CSPP strongly encourages students to participate in a full-time internship experience in an accredited clinical setting for the fifth year to gain valuable real-world application before graduation.

1000 South Fremont Avenue Unit 5 Alhambra, CA 91803 626-270-3300 [email protected] https://www.alliant.edu/psychology/clinical-psychology/phd

Alliant International University – San Diego

First formed in 2001, Alliant International University is comprised of the combination of two highly regarded institutions, the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) and the United States International University (USIU). Founded by the president of the American Psychological Association, CSPP is strongly focused on seamlessly integrating academic excellence, multiculturalism, mentoring by experts in the field, and hands-on training in a variety of clinical settings. For a competitive edge, the school requires all students to specialize in a certain professional niche of interest to give their career a jumpstart.

The Clinical Psychology PhD program at the San Diego campus has developed a unique integrated blend of both research and clinical practice for well-rounded professionals. As students progress through the program, they are able to work closely with established applied researchers to discover increased understanding on principles, such as traumatic brain injuries, autism, mind-body disorders, pediatric psychology, and mindfulness. Each student enrolled in the program is assigned a faculty advisor to help them formulate a customized plan for practicum and internship training that aligns with their schedule and future career goals. Students are required to complete 800 hours in the second year and 1,000 years in the third year in one of the 80 different partnering agencies in the San Diego area.

10455 Pomerado Rd. San Diego, CA 92131 866-825-5426 [email protected] https://www.alliant.edu/psychology/clinical-psychology/phd

Alliant International University – San Francisco Bay

The California School of Professional Psychology on the Alliant International University at San Francisco Bay campus is committed to preparing students for professional careers in the rewarding field of psychology. Since real-world practicum is so vital to the school’s goals, students are given placements in mental health clinics, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, day care programs, correctional facilities, governmental agencies, and many more clinical settings. All of the doctoral programs offered by CSPP exceed all of the state and national accreditation requirements in California, so graduates are automatically eligible to sit for the examination to become licensed as a professional psychologist.

As the perfect blend of psychological theory and research with a heavy dose of fieldwork, the Clinical Psychology PhD program at the San Francisco Bay campus emphasizes training in cutting-edge strength areas. Depending on their individual interests, students can elect to specialize in LGBT Psychology/Gender Studies, Multicultural Community Psychology, Health Psychology, or Child and Adolescent Psychology. Over the course of the five-year program, students will be able to participate in student-led research projects to apply their skills in collaboration with other institutions, including the University of California at San Francisco, Stanford University, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

2030 West El Camino Avenue, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95833 916-565-2955 [email protected] https://www.alliant.edu/psychology/clinical-psychology/phd

Biola University

Rosemead school of psychology.

Located in sunny Southern California, Biola University is a private Christian university dedicated to delivering exceptional biblical-centered education and spiritual development to fulfill students’ vocations. As one of the leading Christian universities, it is no surprise that Biola has been recognized as the 177th best college in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. The Rosemead School of Psychology offers reputable, accredited programs that have had a proven track record of preparing graduates for success in the highly competitive field. Through a biblical understanding of human nature and truths from God’s written Word, the programs seek to produce balanced psychologists who will make a difference in areas of teaching, counseling, research, or clinical practice.

Within the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Biola University, students are required to complete a minimum of 133 semester hours in four years of residency. In addition to the major course requirements, students must complete a minor in theology and a minimum of 17 semester hours in biblical coursework. Enrolled students in the program need to satisfactorily complete a full-time clinical internship for one year, as well as compose a dissertation with an oral defense before the doctoral committee before graduation.

• Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities
• Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU)

13800 Biola Ave. La Mirada, CA 90639 562-903-4867 [email protected] https://www.biola.edu/degrees/g/clinical-psychology-phd

Fielding Graduate University

School of psychology.

As one of the top 100 graduate degree producers in the country for minority groups by Diverse Issues in Higher Education, the Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara is committed to programs in psychology, educational leadership, and organizational development. The School of Psychology offers the only accredited doctoral programs in the nation that utilize the innovative distributed delivery method to support students’ other daily obligations. Although some master’s degrees are offered entirely online, the doctoral programs are blended with in-person class sessions, independent studies, online seminars, and meetings with colleagues or faculty. Since being founded in 1974, the school has developed the core values of lifelong learning, social justice, and research innovation.

Fielding Graduate University offers a high-quality Clinical Psychology PhD program within a diverse, challenging, and dynamic community of professionals in psychology. Although all of the faculty instructors are active scholars and practitioners in the field, many have even been nationally recognized in their area of specialization. Students in the program have the option to concentrate in Forensic Psychology, Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, Violence Prevention and Control, or Parent-Infant Mental Health. If students follow the curriculum sequence that is recommended, the 175.5 semester units can be completed within six years.

• California Board of Behavioral Sciences

2020 De La Vina St. Santa Barbara, CA 93105 805-687-1099 [email protected] https://www.fielding.edu/our-programs/school-of-psychology/phd-clinical-psychology/

Fuller Theological Seminary

With more than 4,300 students hailing from 67 international countries and 108 denominations, the Fuller Theological Seminary has been described as one of the most influential seminaries in the nation and the largest multi-denominational seminary on the globe. After it first opened its doors in 1965, the Fuller School of Psychology became the first seminary-based program in psychology to receive full accreditation from the APA. Today, the School is home to the 164th best graduate clinical psychology program and the 214th best graduate psychology program in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. In the Lee Edward Travis Institute, students and faculty members of the School of Psychology are consistently involved in research across the full spectrum of behavioral sciences.

Within the six-year Clinical Psychology PhD program, students are required to complete a minimum of 300 semester units with a seamless integration of clinical practice and innovative research experience. Students are awarded a Master of Arts in Psychology after finishing 88 units in major courses, and then a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership when the required 76 units of theology courses are completed. The program also involves more than 1,000 hours engaging in clinical training through a variety of field placements scattered across the diverse greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.

• Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada

135 North Oakland Ave. Pasadena, CA 91182 626-584-5200 [email protected] https://www.fuller.edu/phd-clinical-psychology/

Loma Linda University

School of behavioral health.

Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution with more than 4,000 students completing studies in health and science majors. Previously called the School of Science and Technology, the School of Behavioral Health has undergone a recent transformation to specify its goal of delivering high-quality graduate level education for professionals in behavioral health practices. It now consists of three distinct departments that have matured for the past decades, including Social Work, Psychology, and Counseling and Family Services. The School is currently home to the 164th best graduate clinical psychology program in the nation, according to the U.S. News and World Report.

The LLU Clinical Psychology PhD program strongly adheres to the guidelines and regulations that have been established by the APA. With the largest medical facility in the Inland Empire at Loma Linda University Medical Center, students enrolled in the program receive significant training in behavioral health across diverse populations. Students are encouraged to select one area of professional emphasis, such as neuroscience, health psychology, child and adolescent psychology, or social-cultural behavioral health. Before receiving the degree, students must complete a minimum of 204 semester units, typically within five years.

Griggs Hall 11065 Campus St. Loma Linda, CA 92350 909-558-8722 [email protected] https://behavioralhealth.llu.edu/academics/psychology/clinical-psychology-phd

University of California – Berkeley

Department of psychology.

Overlooking the beautiful San Francisco Bay stands the 20th best college in the nation, the University of California at Berkeley. As one of the premier public universities in the world, the faculty of UC Berkeley is comprised of 22 Nobel Prize winners, 32 MacArthur fellows, and 4 Pulitzer Prize winners. Over the past ten years, the National Science Foundation has awarded more Graduate Research Fellowships to this university’s students than any other in the nation. The Department of Psychology aims to produce high-achieving scholar research students with a significant understanding of psychology and ability to conduct independent research for further knowledge in the field.

The UC Berkeley Clinical Psychology PhD program is currently ranked as the 11th best graduate psychology program in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Students in the program are expected to complete the degree within five or six years, after successfully finishing the required full-time clinical internship and dissertation. At the beginning of day one, students are matched with a faculty advisor who will supervise the student’s research and provide assistance in scheduling their clinical training.

PhD in Social Psychology

Currently ranked as the 8th best Social Psychology PhD program in the entire nation, the program endeavors to prepare students for professional careers in research and teaching at the university level. Through the rigorous curriculum, students gain expertise in the six core areas of social psychology, which are self identity, social cognition, emotion/motivation, personality development, interpersonal relations, and organizational behavior.

• Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS)

3210 Tolman Hall #1650 Berkeley, CA 94720 510-642-5292 [email protected] https://psychology.berkeley.edu/research/clinical-science

University of California – Los Angeles

Commonly referred to as UCLA, the University of California at Los Angeles is situated in the Westwood neighborhood of downtown LA, just five short miles from the sparkling Pacific Ocean. Renowned for its legacy of academic excellence in Southern California and beyond, it is currently ranked as the 23rd best university and 2nd top public school in the nation. At the UCLA Psychology Clinic, students enrolled in the Department of Psychology gain valuable experience by providing low-fee therapy and assessment services to diverse populations. Students can also conduct individual or supervised research at the Fernald Child Study Center, which is intended to bolster the department’s commitment to childhood learning and behavior disorders.

Doctoral in Psychology Training Program

PhD in Clinical Psychology – The UCLA Clinical Psychology PhD program has been recognized as the best in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. The doctoral training program enables students to choose from a variety of distinct areas of concentration, including Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Learning and Behavior, and Social Psychology. Although the program must be completed within seven years, it provides flexibility for individual variation spanning from four to seven years.

1285 Franz Hall Box 951563 Los Angeles, CA 90095 310-825-2961 [email protected] https://www.psych.ucla.edu/grads

University of California – Riverside

Graduate school of education.

The University of California at Riverside is currently ranked as the 112th best college and 55th top public school in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. It has also been named as the 5th best college in the United States for contributing to the public good by Washington Monthly magazine. Widely recognized among the most ethnically diverse research campuses in the country, the university has more than 21,000 students pursuing more than 65 different degree programs. Since opening in 1969, the UCR Graduate School of Education (GSOE) has prepared researchers, teachers, school psychologists, and administrators for success in education.

PhD in School Psychology

Leading to a state of California Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential, the PhD in School Psychology is a five-year, full-time degree program that includes a one-year internship opportunity in a school or university setting. Using the innovative eco-behavioral theoretical model, the program is designed to help students develop skills for reform and implementation of the Response to Intervention (RTI) approach.

• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

1207 Sproul Hall 900 University Ave. Riverside, CA 92521 951-827-5225 [email protected] http://education.ucr.edu/schoolpsych/schpsychmain.html

University of California – Santa Barbara

Gevirtz graduate school of education.

One of only 61 institutions elected to be members of the prestigious Association of American Universities, the University of California at Santa Barbara is ranked as the 41st best college and 11th top public school in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. In addition, the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education is ranked as the 40th best school of education in the nation. The school is committed to educating scholar researchers and practitioners for excellence and equality in education.

Combined PhD in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology

Designed to prepare well-rounded psychological service providers to provide direct service to their clients, the PhD in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology program blends the three different service areas and employment settings. In order to develop research-oriented and academic psychologists, the UC Santa Barbara department helps students develop knowledge unique to counseling, clinical practice, and school psychology. After completing the program, graduates will meet the California PPS School Psychology credentials and be able to sit for the examination to become licensed.

552 University Rd. Santa Barbara, CA 93106 805-893-3375 [email protected] https://education.ucsb.edu/ccsp/combined-doctoral-program

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University of California, Santa Barbara / College of Letters & Science

• Prospective Students

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences is a top-ranked experimental psychology program with world-class faculty and state-of-the-art technology. The National Research Council rated the program in the top 15% of psychology programs nationwide. To find out which faculty are recruiting graduate students for the 2025-26 admissions cycle, please check here .

Faculty members include prominent scholars working in four graduate research training areas:

• Cognition, Perception, and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Developmental and Evolutionary Psychology
• Neuroscience and Behavior
• Social Psychology

The Ph.D. program in Psychological & Brain Sciences is designed to be completed in five to six years. During the first year, students complete a core set of courses designed to provide comprehensive coverage of theoretical and empirical issues in psychology and gain research experience under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Beyond the first year, students participate in advanced courses and seminars in which specialized topics are considered on more intensive levels. Students become skilled researchers as they obtain experience working in one or more faculty laboratories. Coursework, independent study, and research activities typically become more specialized as students progress through the program, culminating in comprehensive candidacy examinations and the completion of a doctoral dissertation. There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. degree in Psychological & Brain Sciences at UCSB.

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences does not admit for a Master’s degree. Admission is to the Ph.D. program only.

The graduate program is large enough to field a full range of graduate courses and seminars, but small enough to provide a sense of community and a high level of faculty attention per student. With 42 full-time faculty members supervising ~70 graduate students, our excellent student-to-faculty ratio ensures an enriched and personal graduate experience where each student works closely with a faculty mentor. The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences offers not only a quality research-oriented program, but one whose graduates have been highly successful in the competition for academic, private sector, and post-doctoral positions.

Students in the CPCN area are encouraged to acquire a broad background in the cognitive and perceptual sciences as well as mastery of one or more specialty areas.

In addition to developing an individualized research plan with a faculty advisor, students in the CPCN area are required to take a modest set of core content courses including statistics, and a selection from courses in memory, perception, cognitive neuroscience, cognition and neuroanatomy. Students may also select from courses in fMRI methods and modeling, EEG, matlab programming, multivariate statistics and computational neuroscience. These methods courses in the CPCN area provide rigorous training in the rapidly growing field of cognitive neuroscience. In addition to their content and methods courses, there are a variety of seminars, including the weekly CPCN Seminar. The seminar series attracts many prominent cognitive and perceptual scientists to the campus and also offers opportunities for students and faculty within the program to present their current work. Students may also choose to enhance and broaden their training through interdisciplinary emphases in  Cognitive Science  and  Quantitative Methods .

Students also have access to the neuroimaging facilities in the  UCSB Brain Imaging Center , which is located in the basement of the new addition to the Psychology Building. The main research tool of this center is a Siemens 3 Tesla MRI scanner that is fully dedicated to research. Other facilities on campus that enrich the program include the  Sage Center for the Study of the Mind , the  Neuroscience Research Institute  and the  Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies .

Recognizing that prospective students have many choices when deciding which graduate program to attend, the CPCN faculty has carefully designed a program with the goal of preparing students to be leading researchers and educators. What makes the CPCN program at UCSB unique and different from other programs around the country?

• A unique intellectual environment in which students get first hand exposure and personal interaction to the most world prominent scientists visiting our campus through the speaker and fellow Sage Center
• Access to state of the art research tools in a highly collaborative environment. A unique aspect of the CPCN program is the use of many state of the art research tools including  brain imaging , high-density EEG,  virtual reality , eye and limb tracker technology, and innovative mathematical/computer modeling.
• The study of theoretical issues and real world problems in cognition, perception and action. The range of real world problems that CPCN faculty study is broad with implications in the fields of education, medicine, human factors, and law. Topics include false memory, the study of the use of multimedia in learning, human/computer interaction, spatial cognition in surgical skills, the perception of medical images, and neuro-metrics.
• Emphasis on preparing graduate students for successful academic careers in research and teaching as well as opportunities in the private sector.
• Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research groups in CPCN include the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, and the Cognition and Technology Research Group. In addition, members of CPCN are active participants of UCSB interdisciplinary programs including the Cognitive Science Program, the Center for Information Technology, the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies

We encourage you to contact a faculty member for any of your questions!

The DEVO area brings a unique perspective to psychology, which can be applied to any topic. Faculty and students within the program share an interest in human relationships, cognitive processes, and human development. To these topics, they bring approaches that span the fields of developmental psychology, evolutionary psychology, and social psychophysiology. 

Zoe Liberman and Tamsin German bring expertise in cognitive development-- by studying infants, young children, and adults--to understand both human universals and cultural variation. Their studies focus on investigating the origins of human cognition, and how it changes with experience across development. Much of their work addresses the design of core knowledge systems: ones that reliably develop in all human beings and are specialized for reasoning about a particular domain of knowledge (e.g., other minds; social relationships). They ask whether different types of experience (e.g., bilingualism; religiosity) impact how these domain-specific inference systems arise and are used across the lifespan. 

Dan Conroy-Beam, Leda Cosmides, and Jim Roney bring expertise in how natural selection designs adaptations. Over deep time, natural selection builds mechanisms that are well-designed for solving ancestral problems of survival and reproduction: adaptations . Evolutionary psychologists use theoretical biology, computational modelling, and hunter-gatherer studies to identify the adaptive problems our hunter-gatherer ancestors faced. By asking what properties a cognitive system would need to solve one of these problems, they are able to derive--and test--hypotheses about the design  of the mind. 

The search for cognitive systems that are specialized for particular functions is rare in psychology, but common in DEVO. The possibility that these systems are more common--and more complex--than most people think is a theme that runs through all of our research.

Some faculty interests include:

Dan Conroy-Beam combines evolutionary computational modeling and studies of romantic relationships to understand the information processing design of human mating psychology. His research attempts to map the algorithms responsible for evaluating prospective partners, navigating dynamic mating markets, and regulating romantic relationships.

Zoe Liberman investigates the origins and development of how humans reason about people based on their personal relationships and social groups. Her research provides evidence that the foundations of the human tendency to divide the world into social groups -- particularly groups based on the language(s) that people speak-- has its roots in infancy. 

Jim Roney is investigating the endocrinology of human mating psychology, including hormonal correlates of human motivational priorities, the role of fluctuating hormone concentrations in perceptions of others' attractiveness, and hormonal responses to social interactions with potential mates.

Tamsin German has been concerned with how core knowledge impacts human reasoning across the lifespan. For example, she finds that humans’ concepts of “God” (even for highly religious individuals) are rooted in their understanding of everyday agents. 

Leda Cosmides has a long-standing interest in the evolutionary psychology of human cooperation, with research on cognitive adaptations for reasoning about social exchange, alliance detection, coalitional (group) cooperation, and the evolution of moral cognition. She has provided empirical evidence of cross-cultural universals in the evolved design of anger, pride, and shame--emotions central to human cooperation.

The graduate program in Neuroscience and Behavior offers a balance between basic research and practical laboratory training in contemporary behavioral and systems neuroscience.

The primary aim of the program is to help students gain an understanding of brain-behavior relationships with particular interest in identifying the biological mechanisms important for human and animal behavior. At UCSB, the faculty interests can be categorized into three broad subareas of research: visual neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, and psychopharmacology. Within these three subareas of specialization, the varying backgrounds and expertise of the faculty provide the student with an opportunity to explore such diverse research topics as: the biology of color vision; the development and plasticity of neural circuitry, cytoarchitecture, and neurotransmitter systems; the control of adult neurogenesis; the neuroendocrinological and biopsychological analysis of motivated behavior; the neurobiology and neurochemistry of drug reward and dependence; and animal models of the neurobiological bases of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

Laboratory research is complemented by a wide range of graduate level courses offered by faculty in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences as well as in pharmacology, neurobiology, and biochemistry. The program is enriched throughout the academic year by an active "Neuroscience and Behavior" colloquium series in which prominent scholars from both within and outside the university are invited to visit the campus and share their research findings. Faculty and students also benefit from the interdisciplinary interactions stemming from their involvement in the UCSB  Neuroscience Research Institute , where optical imaging and genomics/proteomics facilities are also available.

In addition to an extensive range of different faculty research laboratories, the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences provides technical support staff and facilities that greatly enhance the quality of the work environment and increase the research possibilities open to graduate students. Each faculty laboratory is linked with the campus Molecular Modeling Computing Facility, the UCSB Library, and on-line reference data bases, such as PubMed and PsychInfo. There are workshops within the Psychology Building for metal, carpentry, and electronic fabrication, as well as extensive computing facilities, all of which are available for graduate student use.

A relatively small sized program with excellent research facilities, the Neuroscience and Behavior program provides a student with a personal approach to a high quality graduate education.

Ranked among the top programs nationally, the graduate program in Social Psychology at UCSB trains experimental social psychologists for research and teaching positions in academic settings and for research careers in the private sector. The program offers a balance between theory-oriented basic research and problem-oriented applied research.

The Social Psychology Program consists of faculty members whose research spans the spectrum of human social behavior. Providing a multi-faceted approach to social-psychological phenomena, faculty investigate the cognitive, affective, and motivational processes underlying intraindividual, interpersonal, intragroup and intergroup behaviors. Specific topics currently studied include, for example, attitude change and social influence; stereotyping; self-knowledge; stigma; coping with stressful life events; decision making; judgment; inference and attributional reasoning; affective and cognitive processing; interpersonal perception and impression formation; close relationships; challenge and threat; and social influences within virtual environments. Many of these topics are the focus of research by more than one faculty member, allowing students to study them from a variety of perspectives.

Students are expected to obtain a broad background in social psychology by taking advantage of the range of graduate seminars offered by program members, as well as by participation in the program’s weekly area meetings, and speaker series, which attracts many prominent social and personality psychologists to the campus. Students are also expected to gain research mastery in one or two specialty areas. Research training focuses on mainstream experimental methodology, complemented by opportunities for specialization in social cognition, social psychophysiological and immersive virtual environment techniques. In addition, the program offers opportunities for interdisciplinary training in communication and human development. We intentionally limit the number of students admitted to our program so that students are able to work closely with faculty and other graduate students in research and teaching. Each student works with a primary advisor, but is encouraged to collaborate with other members of the program to develop an individualized program of study and research.

The Social Psychology Program enjoys truly outstanding research facilities which are equipped with state-of-the-art video, audio, computer, and psychophysiological data collected capabilities.

Admissions Criteria

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences does not admit for a M.A. degree. Admission is to the Ph.D. program only, although students may complete a M.A. degree while they are enrolled. Students who have received a Master’s degree from another institution are encouraged to apply, but this will not advance progress through the Ph.D. program.

Psychological & Brain Sciences is an experimental psychology program that trains experimental psychologists for research and teaching positions in academic settings and for research careers in the private sector. If you are interested in a clinical, counseling psychology program, please see the Graduate School of Education.

Applications to the program are accepted for fall quarter only. All application materials are due by December 1.

University Requirements

To be considered for admission, applicants must have:

• Received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university prior to the quarter for which the applicant seeks admission
• At least a B average in undergraduate coursework

International applicants who have conducted their post-secondary education outside of the United States must have completed an undergraduate degree program equivalent to a University of California bachelor's degree by the beginning of their graduate program at UCSB. Equivalent undergraduate degrees usually include a minimum four years of university work and above-average scholarship.

Psychological & Brain Sciences Requirements

Admission to the Department is competitive and is based on consideration of intellectual potential, research experience, academic achievement, and program fit.

Successful applicants to the program typically have:

• an overall grade point average in upper division (junior and senior) academic classes above 3.5 (on a 4-point scale)

There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

The applicant's record, as described in the statement of purpose and letters of recommendation, should indicate a commitment to research. Students considering application to the program are encouraged to gain research experience with their undergraduate faculty mentors in their junior and senior years.

Students are required to submit a statement of purpose, which should include descriptions of research experience and research interests. This program emphasizes the benefits of individualized attention and close faculty-student interaction, both of which are facilitated by a suitable match between the applicant's interests and the faculty's research expertise. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek some familiarity with the research of faculty members with whom they might like to work and note these in the statement of purpose.

Letters of recommendation that include specific details of personal interactions with the applicant, particularly in classroom and research settings, are more informative than letters that include only abstract generalizations about the applicant.

Satisfaction of minimal standards does not, however, guarantee admission. Since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.

Financial Support

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences is committed to providing financial support for all qualified graduate students in our programs through competitive support packages. Students who are considered for admission to the Ph.D. program are considered for all forms of campus-based support. The department typically guarantees a minimum of 15 quarters (through the end of the 5th year) of financial support to all students admitted to the Ph.D. program. Students may receive some combination of an assistantship, fee fellowship, and fellowship stipends.

Quarterly teaching assistantships (TA) and graduate student research (GSR) assistantships are the most common forms of support for students. Both assistantships provide a monthly salary, payment of in-state fees, and health insurance benefits. Non-Resident Tuition for 1st year graduate students that come to UCSB from outside of California (both domestic and international) will also be paid for by the department through a teaching assistantship or graduate student research assistantship. At the end of the first year, all out-of-state students are required to declare California residency. Nonresident students are required to declare California residency after their first year.

All students are encouraged to apply for fellowships offered by outside agencies, including:

• American Psychological Association
• Ford Foundation
• National Science Foundation
• U.S. Public Health Service

Interested undergraduates should start their preparations early in their senior year. Our students have an impressive success rate in securing fellowships, both on and off campus. Continuing graduate students are also eligible to apply for campus fellowships to supplement their teaching or research assistantship income.

For complete information on financial options as a graduate student, visit the Graduate Division .

How to Apply

Applications to the Ph.D. program are accepted for the fall quarter only. Admission is to the Ph.D. program only.

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences is an experimental psychology program that trains experimental psychologists for research and teaching positions in academic settings and for research careers in the private sector. If you are interested in a clinical, counseling psychology program, see the  Graduate School of Education .

Application Information

You must apply directly  online . Visit  Graduate Division  for more information on completing the application, fee waivers, and updating the application after it has been submitted.

International Applicants

International students from non-English speaking nations must demonstrate proficiency in the English language.

Application Deadline, Fees, & Fee Waivers

All application materials must be submitted by December 1. Applications are only considered for the fall quarter of each year. No late applications will be accepted.

All applications require a non-refundable application fee of $120 for domestic applicants and $140 for international applicants. Graduate Division will not process your application until the application fee has been received. A limited number of  application fee waivers  are available to qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents who demonstrate evidence of financial need or proof of participation in an undergraduate research program. McNair Scholars and California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) applicants are among those eligible. Fee waivers are not available to international applicants.

Required Application Materials

Submit ALL materials in the  online application

• Three letters of recommendation

Transcripts

• GRE  NOT REQUIRED  for Fall 2023 admissions cycle
• Scholarly writing sample, preferably in APA format. No page limit (submitted in the online application).

Statement of Purpose

Personal History and Diversity Statement

Resume or CV

• TOEFL scores (if applicable)

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required. You will be asked to supply the name, email address, and current institution of each recommender. The online application will then provide instructions to each of your recommenders via email. Letters that include specific details of personal interactions with the applicant, particularly in classroom and research settings, are more informative than letters that include only abstract generalizations about the applicant. Letters of recommendation must be received by December 8. Applications that do not have three letters of recommendation will not be considered after this date. Do not wait until the last minute to request a letter.

You must submit transcripts from every higher education academic institution that you have attended. Final/official transcripts will be required for all applicants who are admitted and have indicated their intent to enroll at UCSB by submitting a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). Remove your Social Security number by crossing/blacking out numbers before uploading (if applicable). Check with the  Graduate Division website  for more information on uploading transcripts.

Scholarly Writing Sample

Submit a scholarly writing sample, preferably in APA style, that best demonstrates your writing and research abilities. There is no page requirement. This writing sample should be an example of your academic work and is not to be confused with the Statement of Purpose  or  the Personal History and Diversity Statement, which you also must submit (more information below). 

Give a brief statement outlining your reasons for undertaking a graduate program, your particular area of specialization within the major field, your past academic work, and your plans for future occupation or profession. Include any additional information that may assist the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UCSB. There is no page requirement, but most statements are 2-3 pages long . 

The Personal History and Diversity Statement must be written in narrative (essay) form without duplicating content from the Statement of Purpose. UC Santa Barbara is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. Please describe any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that you feel are important in evaluating your application for graduate study. For example, please describe if you have experienced economic challenges in achieving higher education, such as being financially responsible for family members or dependents, having to work significant hours during undergraduate schooling or coming from a family background of limited income. Please describe if you have any unusual or varied life experiences that might contribute to the diversity of the graduate group, such as fluency in other languages, experience living in bi-cultural communities, academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect under-served segments of society, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations. The Personal History and Diversity Statement must have a minimum word count of at least 250 words.

List your positions of employment or volunteer work/community service since high school, either full or part-time, including the hours per week worked and the nature and dates of employment or service.

GRE Scores (Not Required)

For the Fall 2023 admission cycle, the GRE is  NOT  required. 

TOEFL Scores

A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is required for international students from non-English speaking countries, except those who have completed an undergraduate or graduate education at an institution whose primary language of instruction is English. The university minimum TOEFL score is 80 internet-based test, 550 for paper-based test or IELTS overall band score of 7. The UCSB institution code is 4835. The online application requires you to enter the test date and sixteen digit registration number found on your official report of scores from ETS.

How to Submit Documents

UCSB accepts PDF and Microsoft Word (.doc and .docx) documents for upload in the online application. The maximum file size allowed is 4 MB per document.

What Happens After I Apply?

You can check your  application status online . Final decisions will be made by April.

Satisfaction of minimal standards does not guarantee admission. Since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.

Degree Requirements

Students in the Psychological & Brain Sciences program are required to complete a certain number of courses, research requirements, and milestones in order to be a candidate for the PhD degree.

During the first two years, students take classes, complete research projects, and give an oral presentation. After students pass qualifying exams at the beginning of the third year, they have more flexibility in their schedule and typically begin to devote more time to research and dissertation activities.

Download the PDFs listed at the bottom of this page for further details on requirements.

The graduate program in Psychological and Brain Sciences is highly competitive. We typically admit about 10% of applicants to our program. As the statistics below indicate, our time to degree compares well with national norms and our graduates are very successful in finding employment, in academia and in the private and government sectors.

The Fall 2025 application will open in September  2024 . The deadline to apply is  December 1, 2024 . All letters of recommendation must be received no later than December 8, 2024.

Apply online and view the status of your application:

Apply & View Status

• Progress to Degree
• PhD Requirements
• Statistics Requirements

Psychological & Brain Sciences

University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660

Cognition, Perception + Cognitive Neuroscience

Developmental + Evolutionary Psychology

Neuroscience + Behavior

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The goal of the graduate program in Psychology at Berkeley is to produce scholar-researchers with sufficient breadth to retain perspective in the field of psychology and sufficient depth to permit successful independent and significant research. The members of the department have organized themselves into six training units. The requirements for each unit vary but always involve a combination of courses, seminars and supervised independent research. Students are also encouraged to take courses outside the Psychology Department, using the unique faculty strengths found on the Berkeley campus to enrich their graduate training. We are a STEM designated program.

For the Latest updates on COVID-19 related exceptions to policy relevant to Graduate Students, please see Graduate Division's Resource Page.

The areas offered to students to specialize in are the following: 

• Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience
• Clinical Science
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Developmental
• Social-Personality

To learn more about each offered area visit: Research Areas

Here are answers to most commonly asked questions about the process of applying to graduate school.

How do I find a program that is right for me? – See this handy  decisions tree , reposted from University of Houston Psychology website, to help you determine a route to your desired Psychology career.

For those interested in our Clinical Program, visit Mitch's Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology to answer many of your questions, including those you may have not previously considered.

• GRE scores (please note; the GRE is not required for FA24 Applications)
• Transcripts
• Resume or A curriculum vita (CV)
• Well-written personal statement(s)
• Letters of recommendation

You will want to check requirements for each school to which you plan to apply, but the above links to Cal's graduate program will give you an idea of what to expect.

Psychology Ph.D. Program Components  - with Christine Mullarkey - Student Services Advisor

Ph.D. Program through the Perspective of Professor Sheri Johnson - Head Graduate Advisor

Find your fit at Berkeley.

You are invited to Berkeley's Graduate Diversity Admissions Fair on October 7 - October 11 . This virtual event will help prospective professional, master's, and doctoral students:

• learn more about our top ranked graduate programs and award winning faculty
• gain a deeper understanding of Berkeley's culture and resources available
• understand the application process, and important deadlines
• consider funding options and opportunities

You can expect a lot to choose from. Over 50 sessions from UC Berkeley graduate programs in one hour info sessions, and discussion groups.

Register here to customize your fair schedule by signing up to the sessions that interest you.

Berkeley is a place that fosters a supportive community that is at the heart of our students' success. Our graduate diversity programs aim to create a culture of belonging for all students. This fair is one example of that. Though the fair is open to all – it's designed specifically for prospective students from historically excluded, and underrepresented backgrounds.

We hope you will join us.

Fall 2022 - Prof. Serena Chen (Social Personality), Prof. Aaron Fisher (Equity Advisor), and featuring graduate students

Fall 2021 - Prof. Serena Chen (Social Personality), Prof. Sheri Johnson (Clinical), Harumi Quinones (Student Services Director), and featuring graduate students 

Visit the Graduate Division website to learn more about the Fall 2024 Diversity Admissions Fair and register in the graduate application portal !

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Graduate Program

If you are considering applying to a PhD program, you'll have many options. We humbly believe that your best option is UC San Diego Psychology. In fact, there are 17 reasons that support this belief. But in the interest of space, we'll focus on the Top 5 here. If you want to know the other 12, you'll have to come to UC San Diego.

1. Five years fully funded, with TA duties

All of our graduate students, including international students, are fully funded . This means that all tuition and fees are covered and graduate students receive $30,000 in additional support per year. This base level of support is provided by the Department, not individual faculty or student grants, which means that our graduate students can work across labs to collaborate, dabble, and experiment. 

As part of this support package graduate students serve as a teaching assistant (TA) for undergraduate courses during the academic year. Teaching Assistantships  provide students with opportunities to work across research areas, grow their teaching expertise, and build relationships with department faculty and lecturers.

There are other sources of funding from the Department as well, such as a large departmental fund, created by UC San Diego’s own Norman H. Anderson, that supports annual travel to conferences for all graduate students, the McGill Research account, which provides $2,000 in your first year for research-related expenses, and the McGill Post-Advancement Research account which provides $1,000 for additional research-related expenses. 

2. A large campus-wide community

Psychologists at UC San Diego interact with researchers in Human Development, Philosophy, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience. In Psychology, students in each research area - Cognitive, Social, Developmental, and Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience  (see below) - get together weekly at Brown Bag meetings to discuss their research with other students and faculty. Although we don't train Clinical Psychology graduate students , researchers with an interest in interacting with clinicians can find colleagues and friends in the UC San Diego Medical School. Upshot: We interact with each other a lot. 

3. Holistic review

We care about your research interests and experience - not just your grades and GRE scores . If you have an undergraduate degree and a strong track record of research experience , we want to hear from you ( no previous master’s training is required ) . Sure, we'll look at the numbers, but we're much more interested in your research training and your match to our program. Reach out to us individually and we'll help you figure out whether UC San Diego is the right place for you. 

4. New faces

This year all of our labs are accepting students, but we're especially excited to consider graduate student applicants for our newest labs. New faculty members accepting students include Chujun Lin ,  Dhananjay Bambah-Mukku , and Nadia Brashier . These faculty study topics including social cognition, person perception, computational modeling, neurobiology of social behavior, molecular analysis of neural circuits, and memory and misinformation across the adult lifespan. These, and other faculty, can be checked out on our faculty directory.

5. We're happier

UC San Diego isn't just a productive place to do a PhD. It's a happy place, too. Year-round outdoor meetings. A 5 minute walk to the beach. Cycling, hiking, surfing, and just feeling the warm sun on your face all year round.

To apply to our program, please visit our admissions page for details. The application deadline for Fall 2025 admission is December 4th, 2024.   

Please contact any of us for details on our labs, the application process, or life in San Diego; contact information can be found on our Department website as well as individual lab websites. If you apply, we'll connect you to current PhD students to talk about their experience, who can help you decide which lab is best for you and your interests.

Program Emphases

The Department of Psychology at the UC San Diego, provides advanced training in research in core subfields of Experimental Psychology. Having modern laboratories, an attractive physical setting, and distinguished faculty, both within the Department of Psychology and in supporting disciplines, provides research opportunities and training at the frontiers of psychological science. Our graduate training program emphasizes and supports individual research, starting with the first year of study.

The Department offers the following emphases:

• Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience

Graduate students in the psychology doctoral program may also expand their degree and apply to enroll in interdisciplinary PhD programs after being accepted into our program.

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Graduate Program

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Psychological Sciences Ph.D. Program

Thank you for your interest in the Psychological Sciences Ph.D. program at UC Merced. We will be accepting applications for Fall 2024. Applications are due Dec. 1, 2023, and admissions decisions will be made in late December and early January.

GRE scores are not required for applications to our Ph.D. program for 2024 admission but can be optionally reported by applicants. The decision to include or not include GRE scores in the application will not affect admissions decisions.

UC Merced offers doctoral graduate training in Psychological Sciences, culminating in the Ph.D., with emphases in developmental , health , and quantitative methods, measurement, and statistics . We welcome applications for Ph.D. studies in any of these three areas.

Guiding Principle

We create, cherish, and champion a culture of community, collegiality, and compassion. 

Program Goal

Our goal is to prepare sophisticated and creative independent researchers who can apply the qualitative distinctions of our program in a variety of professional settings, including academic institutions, public or private agencies, and industry. To that end, our Program Learning Outcomes  indicate the most prominent skills and knowledge that our graduates will possess to enable them to start successful research careers. Graduates have gone on to a range of positions  upon graduation where they utilize their research competence.

What Distinguishes Us

Having opened its doors in 2005, UC Merced is one of the youngest research universities in the United States. The Psychological Sciences Ph.D. program has grown rapidly since then, with 18 faculty and 44 graduate students in 2018. Our highly productive  faculty conduct impactful research and have gained national and international recognition.

Our program’s national stature has likewise grown rapidly. In the 2018 US and World News Report , our Ph.D. program ranked 90 th (tied with UC Santa Cruz) out of over 200 Ph.D. programs in psychology. We are by far the youngest program ranked this high. We were ranked as 190+ in 2013 and 158 in 2015, indicating a remarkable increase in recognition and influence in a very short time.

We are a congenial group of faculty and graduate students who enjoy creating a supportive work environment that gives everyone here the opportunity to succeed. We strive to maintain a positive, supportive environment for all members of our academic community. This starts with faculty actively practicing kindness, civility, and empathy with one another and with students. We believe that by applying and modeling these values, students more often feel respected and empowered to do their best.

With nine members, we claim the largest identified health psychology faculty group in a regular academic department of psychology (discounting universities with research medical schools) and certainly one of the strongest such research and training programs anywhere in the world. Among strengths in this group is our focus on understanding disparities in health, especially as relevant to our unique region.

Likewise, we feature one of the largest and arguably strongest quantitative methods, measurement, and statistics  research and training programs anywhere. Our five quantitative scientists conduct research from both frequentist and Bayesian approaches applied to a wide range of methods.

Developmental psychology  at UC Merced seeks to achieve world-class recognition for strong empirical research on cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development that relies on advanced quantitative methods and emphasizes the unique contextual and biological factors that may promote or hinder healthy development.

View the Psychological Sciences digital brochure

To apply, visit the UC Merced Graduate Division website .

Updated 2023

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Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology Program

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SDSU / UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology

About the Program

The program provides outstanding education and training to scientifically oriented research professionals who will make significant contributions to clinical psychology in their areas of specialization. The program combines the scholarly resources and offerings from the Department of Psychology in SDSU’s College of Sciences and the Department of Psychiatry in UC San Diego’s School of Medicine.

As a clinical science program, we emphasize integrating research and practice in training, activities, and experience, allowing students to participate in clinical research activities throughout the program. The development of research skills and attitudes is the foundation of training; clinical psychologists will have duties encompassing teaching, research, diagnosis, treatment, consultation, and program evaluation and design, including applying research skills and knowledge to various areas and settings. Our doctoral program enables students to be at the forefront of developments and applications in clinical psychology.

The program includes an initial two-year core curriculum of formal instruction followed by additional experience/instruction in the student’s chosen major area of study. The SDSU/UC San Diego JDP in Clinical Psychology curriculum is based on a twelve-month academic year. Students typically complete the program within five to six years, including an American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited internship.

Completion of the core curriculum ensures that all students have a common background in:

• Empirical psychology (biological, cognitive, affective, developmental, and social bases of behavior).
• Conceptualizations of psychopathology.
• Theory and techniques of psychological assessment.
• Therapeutic interventions and therapeutic skills.
• Experimental design and statistics.

Clinical activities, integrated with formal instruction, begin in the second year. Students will acquire higher clinical proficiency through practicum placements at nearly 30 training sites supervised by SDSU/UC San Diego joint-doctoral faculty representing research and clinical expertise in virtually every topic relevant to clinical psychology.

Major Areas of Study:

Specialized training is conducted through seminars, tutorials, and extensive research and clinical experience under faculty supervision. The APA-accredited clinical internship typically occurs in the fifth or sixth year. Whenever possible, clinical practica and therapeutic activities are coordinated with the student’s progression through courses and research activities. Summers are utilized to offer more concentrated research and clinical training.

For more information about the three areas, visit our Major Areas of Study page.

Program History

The SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology began in 1985, was first accredited by APA in 1990, and has been reaccredited consistently since then. Since 1949 and 1964, SDSU and UC San Diego, respectively, have been regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission . In addition, the School of Medicine at UC San Diego is accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) .

The program emphasizes and appreciates broadly defined human diversity and offers extensive opportunities for students to become involved in research and clinical activities focused on diverse, underserved populations.

Recently, rankings calculated by the National Research Council (NRC) placed the SDSU/UC San Diego joint doctoral program among the top five psychology programs in the country, regardless of whether they were clinical or nonclinical. Similar rankings have been reported by Academic Analytics in 2010 and by Stewart, Roberts, and Roy (2007).

This program is a good-standing member of the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP), the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS), the Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs (CCHPTP), and the Association of Psychology Training Clinics (APTC). These organizations strive to provide quality education and training at the doctoral level, ensuring the doctoral program stays abreast of changes and developments in the field. 

Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 1st Street NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979 E-mail: [email protected]

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• PsyD vs PhD

California Psychology Doctorate Programs

Individuals who feel driven to help other people cope with and overcome emotional and mental health issues will likely find fulfillment in a career that lets them do just that. And there’s no doubt there’s a great need in society for compassionate, highly trained professionals who can address mental health problems, anxiety, addiction and the day-to-day stresses of life. This is a major reason why the Doctor of Psychology degree, or Psy.D. for short, was developed in the late 1960s, and today this degree is among the most rapidly growing graduate degrees.

The good news for students in California is that there are several excellent programs in the state that offer a range of Psy.D. degrees and focuses.

Let’s take a look at what prospective Psy.D. students in California should know about their educational options and what goes into becoming a professional psychologist.

What’s On This Page

• Quick Facts
• California PsyD Programs
• California Psychologist Requirements
• California Doctorate Salary Outlook

Quick Facts:

• PGSP-Stanford University uses the Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences for its research and teaching facilities, which is houses at the Stanford University Medical Center – seeing 400,000 patients per year in psychiatry.
• PGSP-Stanford University had a total of 153 PsyD students finish their program from 2007-14, with a mean of 5.18 years to finish the program.
• Tuition for PGSP-Stanford University is $43,100 per year.
• A total of only eight students left the PGSP-Stanford University PsyD program from 2007-14 without finishing their degree.
• The University of San Francisco PsyD program consists of 1500-2000 hours of practica and a fifth year internship of 1500-2000 hours.
• Admissions into the San Francisco program is only during the fall semester.
• Annual tuition at Loma Linda University is $24,500.
• Nearly half of PysD programs are based in Southern California

List of PsyD Degree Programs in California

About a dozen colleges and universities in the state of California offer Psy.D. degree programs that have earned accreditation from the American Psychological Association, which is the gold standard of academic accreditation for psychology programs at all levels.

SEE ALSO:   5+ Best Online PsyD Programs

Let’s take a look at vital statistics about the 13 APA-accredited Psy.D. programs offered across California.

*The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

The Chicago School’s Los Angeles campus only recently earned APA accreditation and dating back to the first year that graduates exited the program (2013), 132 Psy.D. students have earned their degrees from the L.A. campus. Students in other areas of California are served by two other Chicago School campuses, in Irvine and San Diego, though the programs there haven’t yet earned APA accreditation.

SEE ALSO:  Chicago School of Professional Psychology Psy.D. Program Review

• Institution type: Private, not-for-profit
• Campuses: Los Angeles program is APA-accredited; Psy.D. degrees are also offered at campuses in Irvine and San Diego
• Annual tuition: $55,204
• *Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (Los Angeles and Irvine)
• *Psy.D. in Marital and Family Therapy (Irvine)
• *Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology (Irvine)
• *Psy.D. in Applied Clinical Psychology (Irvine and San Diego)
• Accreditation: APA (Los Angeles campus only)

PGSP-Stanford Consortium

Formerly the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University is home to the PGSP-Stanford Consortium, a unique program offering a Psy.D. that draws from faculty and expertise at both Palo Alto University and the Stanford University School of Medicine. The group’s Psy.D. first earned APA accreditation in 2006, and since the 2009-10 school year, 274 students have completed their Psy.D. degrees. The program’s licensure rate for graduates is an impressive 94%.

SEE ALSO:  Palo Alto PGSP-Stanford Consortium Psy.D. Psychology Review

• Main campus: Palo Alto
• Annual tuition: $50,451
• Degrees offered: Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
• Accreditation: APA
• Visit school: Click here

University of San Francisco

One of the most recent California schools to earn APA accreditation, the University of San Francisco’s School of Nursing and Health Professions started conferred Psy.D. degrees in 2018, and 12 students have completed the program since then.

• Main campus: San Francisco
• Annual tuition: $48,475

Loma Linda University

Loma Linda University’s Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology is structured as a five-year program, including an internship, and the program first earned APA accreditation in 1998. Over the past 10 years, 87 students have earned their Psy.D. through the program, and 88% of them have gone on to earn professional licensure.

• Main campus: Loma Linda
• Annual tuition: $30,300

Alliant International University

Offered through the California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University hosts five APA-accredited Psy.D. programs spread across a wide geographic area in the state, from Sacramento to San Diego. All five campuses have been accredited by the APA since the early to mid-1990s, and their programs average a professional licensure rate over the past decade of nearly 70%.

SEE ALSO:  Alliant International University Psy.D. Psychology Review

• Institution type: Private, for-profit
• Campuses: Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco, all APA-accredited
• Annual tuition: Ranges from $37,975 (Sacramento and San Diego) to $49,000 (Los Angeles)
• Degrees offered: Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (all campuses); Psy.D. in Marital and Family Therapy (Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego); Psy.D. in Organization Development (Fresno)

Pepperdine University

Starting in their second year, Psy.D. students at Pepperdine University begin gaining hands-on experience in clinical mental health settings as part of a program that first earned APA accreditation in 1990, making it one of the first in the state to carry the APA’s endorsement. More than 250 graduates have completed the program in the past decade, and they have earned professional licensure at a 78% rate.

SEE ALSO:   Pepperdine University Psy.D. Psychology Review

• Main campus: Los Angeles
• Annual tuition: $64,200

Fuller Theological Seminary

Fuller Theological Seminary’s diverse academic lineup ranges from Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degrees to similar degrees offered in Korean and Spanish, and the nondenominational Christian institution’s School of Psychology has offered an APA-accredited Psy.D. since 1972. Over the past decade, 130 students have completed the Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, and 85% of program grads have become licensed psychologists.

SEE ALSO:  Fuller Theological Seminary Psy.D. Psychology Review

• Main campus: Pasadena
• Annual tuition: $33,610

Biola University

Founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Biola University’s Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology has been accredited by the APA since the early 1980s. This nondenominational evangelical Christian program prepares practitioners who feel called by a higher power to practice psychology. More than 120 people have completed the program since the 2009-10 school year, and the licensure rate is 84%

• Main campus: La Mirada
• Annual tuition: $37,757

The Wright Institute

The Wright Institute is a hyper-focused specialty institution that offers academic training only in psychology, hosting two degrees, the Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology and an M.A. in Counseling. The Psy.D. program has been APA-accredited since 1998, and 79% of the 583 Psy.D. graduates over the past decade have earned professional accreditation.

SEE ALSO:  The Wright Institute Psy.D. Psychology Review

• Main campus: Berkeley
• Annual tuition: $37,650

Azusa Pacific University

One of several Christian colleges and universities to offer Psy.D. degree options, Azusa Pacific University first earned APA accreditation for its clinical psychology doctorate in 1990. Over the past 10 academic years, 240 graduates have completed the program, and their licensure rate is 81%, which is among the highest for California Psy.D. programs.

• Main campus: Azusa
• Annual tuition: $42,978

John F. Kennedy University

JFK University’s Psy.D. program first earned APA accreditation in 2003, and by the end of 2020, it’s expected that the program will begin operating under the National University System after an affiliation agreement that started in 2009. The Psy.D. program itself will retain the prestige that it earned after becoming APA-accredited, and more than 200 students have earned their doctorates in clinical psychology since the 2009-10 school year. Program graduates have a licensure rate of 70% over the past decade.

• Main campus: Pleasant Hill
• Annual tuition: $38,098

University of La Verne

Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, the  University of La Verne’s Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology has been APA-accredited since 2003. A total of 147 students have completed their Psy.D. training at La Verne since the 2009-10 school year, and they have a licensure rate of 79%.

• Main campus: La Verne
• Annual tuition: $37,600

California Lutheran University

Though it’s affiliated with the Lutheran Church, California Lutheran University’s Psy.D. program does not exclude members of other faiths, agnostics or atheists from its five-year, APA-accredited degree track. California Lutheran’s Psy.D. is one of the most recent California programs to earn accreditation, and since 2015, 43 graduates have completed the program. More than 80% of individuals earning their Psy.D. at California Lutheran have gone on to earn licensure.

• Main campus: Oxnard
• Annual tuition: $28,560

How to Become a Practicing Clinical Psychologist in California

Being able to work as a professional psychologist in California is a several-step process that for many people begins with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. But that’s certainly not the only way to go about it. Let’s explore what steps are needed to become a psychologist in California.

• Get your bachelor’s degree in an applicable field, most often psychology. Depending on the program you select for your Psy.D., you may not need to earn a master’s degree first, but if you are coming in with only a bachelor’s degree, schools will need to see that you have a basic education in psychology. So if not a major in that field, then your bachelor’s transcript should show a focus in psychology or a related field like biology. And some Psy.D. programs do require students to have a master’s degree, so be sure to find out what’s expected before you apply.
• Earn a doctoral degree. While we’ve focused on Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) programs in California, many schools in the state offer a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in the field as well, and this type of degree also could serve as the necessary doctoral component to earning licensure. But it’s important to note that most Ph.D. programs, even those in clinical psychology, won’t have the same internship or practicum requirements that are part of Psy.D. education, so those who earn a Ph.D. in psychology may need to complete additional internships to gain those real-world hours.
• Meet state requirements. The California Board of Psychology processes and grants licensure applicants for psychologists. Prospective candidates must pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, as well as the California Psychology Law and Ethics Examination, in addition to verifying your completion of postdoctoral experience that’s part of most Psy.D. programs. Additionally, the state requires that applicants submit to a background and criminal history check, including a fingerprint scan.
• Remain licensed, and keep up with requirements. Once a psychologist in California has earned their license, they must be sure it remains valid so they can continue practicing, and this means getting your license renewed every two years.

California Clinical Psychologist Salary and Job Outlook

Clinical, counseling and school psychologists in the state of California have the second-highest average annual salary among all their counterparts across the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Their average annual salary is $111,750, and on the very highest end of the scale, they can expect to earn more than $195,000 per year.

SEE ALSO: Psychologist Salary in California

Over the next decade, it’s expected that all psychologist jobs & careers across the U.S. economy will see a steady growth rate of about 5%, but for clinical psychologists in California, that rate is expected to be much higher — 12.5%.

*Indicates school is a Featured Partner.  Click here  for disclosure on Featured Partners. 

Social Psychology

Information about the Social Psychology Graduate Major

The graduate program in Social Psychology features a distinguished faculty and numerous research opportunities in laboratory and field settings within a culturally diverse and multifaceted metropolitan area. Our faculty areas of expertise are broad and center on basic research on close relationships and intergroup relations. In addition, faculty interests include political psychology, evolutionary psychology, family psychology, stress and coping, and issues pertaining to culture, ethnicity, and gender. A distinctive feature of our program is our long tradition of interest in social problems and the applicability of rigorous, theory-driven research to addressing them.

Doctoral students in our program gain familiarity with social psychology through a two-quarter course sequence during the first year of graduate work. In subsequent years, students are required to take three additional seminars on topics of their choosing. Students concentrate on a single research project in the first and second years (Psych 251) culminating with the receipt of the Master’s degree. As training progresses thereafter, social psychology students typically work with their primary advisor or co-advisor to develop an increasing focus on their own particular topics in research and expertise in the associated methods.

Methodological and statistical training covers experimental design and procedures, survey and field research methods, and univariate and multivariate techniques, including use of structural equation modeling and hierarchical linear modeling. Although not required, but social psychology students can also minor in quantitative methods, health psychology, or diversity science.

Above and beyond individual research supervision and coursework, most social psychology faculty members run weekly lab meetings with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars. Seminars and colloquia presentations by distinguished visiting speakers, students, and faculty are also offered and round out the course of studies.

Along with the regular Social faculty in the Psychology Department, the Social faculty include a number of social psychology affiliates who are faculty members in other departments and schools, including the Anderson School of Management, Communications, Political science, the Geffen School of Medicine, and the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.

The program encourages connections and interaction with faculty and students in other disciplines (e.g. Anthropology, Communications, Political Science, Psychiatry, and Sociology) which enables students to incorporate interdisciplinary study in a wide range of social and health sciences into their graduate education in social psychology.

More Social Psychology info

• For a list of Required Courses please see the  Psychology Handbook

The Economic Score is the combination of debt-to-earnings ratio and earnings plus. We use the economic score to determine a graduate program’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page .

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Earnings Plus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark of all students with the same graduate degree, adjusting for the in-state / out-of-state composition of the student body.

The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.

The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.

Best Psychology Graduate Programs in California

Psychology master’s graduates in California earn a weighted average salary of $63,282 3 years after graduation, placing them in the top 10% nationally.

Cost of living is not considered when comparing states.

Our psychology graduate rankings cover 0 of the 0 programs available in California, accounting for NaN% of total student graduates. We only include schools with sufficient earnings and/or debt data.

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How long does it take to pay down debt in psychology in california.

Under a year

The average debt accrued from a master's degree in psychology is covered by average graduate earnings in under a year.

How much do graduates with a master's degree in psychology earn in California?

The median master's degree in psychology graduate earns $63,282 4 years after graduating.

How much does a master's degree in psychology cost in California?

The average annual cost of a master's degree in psychology is $31,229. This is the net cost and considers only students that have received Title IV funds.

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